Chapter 0226


    Jerome is actually a big help, prepping the gorgeous green dress and shoes that were left on my bed for me, and then picking


    out some jewelry to match, as | apply my makeup as fast as | can and quickly unbraid my hair and pin it on top of my head. We


    manage, somehow, to get me fully ready in under five minutes.


    “Wow,” | say, as | push an earing through my lobe and simultaneously slide my foot into the shoe that Jerome, kneeling on the


    floor, holds steady for me. “If you ever decide to quit being a low-level mafiackey, you certainly have a career as like, one of


    those people who helps people get changed fast between scenes in a y —*


    “| know,” Jerome says, smirking at me as he stands up. “I grew up helping thedies at my mom’s strip club make quick changes


    between their acts.”


    “Really?” | ask, my eyes going wide.


    “A story for another time, Fay!” Jeromeughs, putting a warm hand on my shoulder and pushing me gently towards the door,


    grabbing my little purse off the bed and shoving it into my hand. As | move towards the top of the stairs though, Jerome makes to


    disappear in the other direction down the hall.


    “Where —“ | start to ask, but he just shakes his head at me.


    “Fay,” he whispers. “You just brought me into your bedroom. And got changed. And only one of those people down there knows


    that I’m not into this —“ he says, waving a hand up and down in my direction to encapste my whole being. “So, yeah. I’m


    disappearing.”


    | go a little pale as | realize what he’s saying and | grimace, realizing that | have toe up with some clever exnationster.


    But | take a deep breath, steeling myself and trying to be as cool and nonchnt as | can as | start down the steps.


    “So sorry,” | call to the group still waiting below. “Shall we go? | would hate to miss the reservation.”


    Daniel grins at me again,ughing a little, while Natalia res. When | reach the bottom of the stairs my fiancé offers me his arm


    and then, as a group, we set off.


    Honestly, | don’t know why everyone was all upset. It’s not as if the restaurant gave away our table. Instead, the hostess beams


    at us and sweeps us through the restaurant to a semi-private balcony up a small flight of stairs that overlooks the rest of the


    restaurant. It’s the perfect spot — close enough to participate in the chic, busy ambiance of the ce but separate enough from it


    to not be overheard in private conversation.


    Our table is small and round, intimately sized for the five of us so that when Daniel seats himself next to me | find that our knees


    touch under the table. We''re all pressed close, family-style, so that we could whisper across the table if we wanted and all still be


    included in the conversation.


    As we sit | wonder, for the first time actually, what the hell we’re all doing here at this fancy dinner dressed in evening gowns and


    tuxedos. A little knot of anxiety forms in the pit of me as | look around at Daniel on my left, Kent pressed close on my right, and


    then Natalia, and then Alessi in the final seat between Daniel and Natalia.


    Who called this dinner? And what do they have nned?


    Unfortunately, no one fills me in, and


    so | merely go along wi it letting!


    ever one see RsoNife conversation


    ahd listening carefully, hoping to


    figure it out as we go. Please read the


    original content at NovelDrama.Org.


    The food, predictably, is delicious. |


    figure out quickly that this is a French


    restaurant tha epts@heseating a


    rjont, auggesting that we''ll be having


    the kind of long, wine-soaked,


    sumptuous dinner that I''d usually be


    thrilled to experience. Please read the


    original content at NovelDrama.Org.


    As our first course is served, I’m interested to see that Natalia steers the conversation towards memories.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    “Kent,” she says, turning her beautiful


    face towards him as she spreads


    pate de foie gras on a piece fom


    baguette 149 yourehse ef that


    sutinse hat you, and |, and Lenai


    skipped church and took the train to


    France, and didn’t tell anyone, and


    were away for days? God, we were


    such children then — what were we,


    sixteen?” Please read the original


    content at NovelDrama.Org.